The 13 Arizona legislators, who joined Governor Jan Brewer to roll Republican leadership to pass Medicaid expansion, scored big on Friday night. The 13 were treated to a fundraiser at the home of Vanguard Health Systems Executive Reg Ballantyne.

Friday’s fundraiser for the GOP lawmakers, who supported Medicaid expansion, raked in at least $325,000. The figure is expected to grow to $350,000. The fundraiser was attended by lobbyists and others who have a vested monetary interest in the massive expansion, according to Seeingredarizona.com.

Attendees were “encouraged” to write $500 checks for all 13 of the GOP lawmakers. Each of the 13 is expected to make between $25,000 and $27,000 from the “health care heroes” event.

The lobbyists and healthcare employees know that the 13 will likely face primary opposition, and the need to maintain the corporate welfare in expansion is high. According to Capitol sources, more than 150 people attended. Brewer reportedly gave a heartfelt speech about the 13 Republican legislators, according to the Sonoran Alliance.

The Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association is planning a fundraising event on October 23 during its 2013 annual conference at the Ritz-Carlton’s Dove Mountain resort in Marana.

All Republican Legislative Districts, except LD28, condemned the actions of the 13 legislators and the Governor. The AZDI revealed this week that many of the Precinct Committee people in Legislative District 28 were not driven by a moderate ideology, but by money. According to records, over a quarter of the PCs in LD 28 are lobbyists or people who stand to benefit monetarily under Brewercare, and they control not only their votes, but the proxies of many fellow LD28 PCs.

One Republican activist noted that there is little doubt why the lobbyists would support Brewer; he points to the monetary gains made by healthcare corporations since the advent of Obamacare. “For the six months ended July 31, 2013, Vanguard Health Care Fund delivered solid absolute and relative returns, generating 19.18% for Investor Shares and 19.21% for Admiral Shares. The fund’s benchmark, the MSCI All Country World Health Care Index, posted a 15.54% gain.” That same report showed that “as of July 31, almost 13% of the fund was invested in the stocks of health insurance or managed care companies, more than double the allocation in the benchmark.”

On September 9, 2013, Vanguard Health Management Inc., filed a PAC with Arizona’s Secretary of State.

This weekend, the Yavapai County Republican Committee voted Saturday to censure the 13 lawmakers.

7 Commentson "Big payoffs for Medicaid expansionists"

I’m with Yavapai Couonty. Censure and get rid of these sellouts. No wonder people have lost faith in their government. We need to clean house of all these money grubbing stab in the back “Republicans”. Get active and vote.

A few days ago when this article appeared in the Phx. Tea Party website, it talked of Donna Alu, PC for LD 9, she stated that even though E. Orr voted liberal on Medicare expansion, he was a great asset for the GOP because LD 9 is a Democratic stronghold,,,,,,,,with E. Orr and Alu in the driver seat, it still is, and the reference to Alu and E. Orr are no longer in the Phx. Tea Party Article nor the Sonoran Alliance article.
Anyone have or know anything?